A THIEF OF GLORY

 

The similitude that comes to mind when we think of Satan is a snake but John the Revelator describes Satan more aptly from his vision. What could be more deadly and more powerful than a snake? A dragon. The dragon that John saw was red, a colour that represents fury. And how well he painted the scene of the dragon who drew with ‘his tail the third part of the stars of heaven’! (Revelation 12:4).

The Book of Revelation calls Satan ‘an accuser’ who accused us of our sins to the Father, day and night (Revelation 12:10). I can only imagine the glee with which he relentlessly and craftily complained about us, claiming that we were beyond redemption and would all be lost if the Father did not accept his plan. No mercy and no genuine concern for our welfare. But then the Saviour stepped forward and offered both and hope was born. But ‘the accuser’ picked up another tactic and sought to destroy our faith in Christ without ceasing. A war ensued….”the same kind that prevails on earth; the only kind Satan and spirit beings can wage – a war of words, a tumult of opinions, a conflict of ideologies; a war between truth and error, between light and darkness…”(Elder Bruce R. McConkie, Doctrinal New Testament Commentary, 3:518).

This is how we won the war in heaven. When the Saviour stepped forward to take responsibility for us He sealed His fate as our Redeemer. So sure was the foundation of His commitment that the Atonement in mortality was really just a formality. So iron clad was His destiny as our Saviour that it became our reality long before the earth was made. The scriptures confirm that ‘the Lamb was slain from the foundation of the world’ meaning the power of the Atonement was already in place in pre-mortal world enabling all God’s children, from the beginning, to be born innocent (Revelation 13:8, 1 Peter 1:18-20; Mosiah 3:13; 4:7; D&C 93:38). Because the Atonement was such a surety, it was as if it had already happened and consequently we could draw upon its’ blessings and power before we were even born. It is this power and our testimonies by which we defeated Lucifer and his followers in the war in heaven (see the New Testament Institute Manual commentary on Revelation 12:11; 13:8, By Blood and Testimony)

The name ‘Lucifer’ means ‘light bearer’. He was so great once, ‘he was in authority in the presence of God’ (D&C 76:25). So great was he that we wept when he was lost (76:26). We too are great with enormous potential but we can find ourselves lost too under his influence. His fury will not spare one soul. He will use every tactic and every tool to steal our spiritual identity, to kill our faith in God and to destroy our commitment to Christ (John 10:10) . We of the last days cannot allow this to happen. We will not allow the red dragon to win. We already know the outcome. The only question remaining is who will be among the survivors. The war has not ended. In the words of Elder McConkie: “……..the battle lines are still drawn. It is now on earth as it was then in heaven; every man must choose which general he will follow” (Doctrinal New Testament Commentary, 3:518).

These are the tools Satan uses that are so prevalent in our society:

HIS THREE DOCTRINES:

No punishment for sin

Nothing after death

He does not exist

HIS LIES THROUGH RATIONALISATION:

Just once won't hurt

No one will know

Everybody is doing it

HIS VALUE SYSTEM:

Selifshness

Self-indulgence

Immediate gratification

HIS SALES TECHNIQUES:

Pacifying

Flattering 

Lulling 

Like a thief in the night,

He seeks to steal, kill and destroy.

He is the collector of ruined lives,

The Master of ravaged souls.

 

He is the Son of the Morning,

His pride yielded irreversible cost

In the beginning we sorely wept

When his soul was forever lost.

- CATHRYNE ALLEN 

(Art: AI generated by NightCafe Creator)